For the last 73 years, officialdom has barely acknowledged their existence, let alone their role. Until quite recently, the men of the Auxiliary Units – the British resistance – wouldn’t even talk about it themselves.

They had signed the Official Secrets Act. And they had grown so used to saying nothing about their mission that many died of old age without breathing a word.

So, it was not until yesterday that the last remnants of ‘Churchill’s secret army’ were finally able to take their place behind the Queen, her family and the politicians at the Cenotaph for the national act of remembrance. It was, said one of them, an ‘overwhelming’ experience.

Up above: The Duchess of Cambridge (right) plays with her hair as stands with Sophie, Countess of Wessex, on a balcony overlooking Whitehall's Cenotaph

Proud moment: Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge watches on while her husband Prince William lays a wreath at the Cenotaph

Royal attendance: The Queen (left) and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (front right) arrive at the Cenotaph in Central London, ahead of Prince Harry (top)

Queen: The monarch laid the first wreath at the Cenotaph on Whitehall to commemorate all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice since the First World War

Three Princes: Philip (left) is joined in laying a wreath on Whitehall in Central London by William (centre) and Harry (right)

Thousands in the crowd: Former and serving armed service personnel attend the annual Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph

In black: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh (left) pay their respects during ceremonies marking Remembrance Sunday in Central London

Men in red: The Chelsea Pensioners join politicians and members of the royal family attending the Remembrance Sunday service at the Cenotaph

Ceremony: An image made available by the Ministry of Defence shows Prince William, the Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Harry standing behind Queen Elizabeth II

As always, it was the Sovereign who led the commemoration of all those who have given their lives for this country.

The Royal Family was spread far and
wide this year, however. The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of
Cornwall, currently on an official tour of India, attended a service of
remembrance in Mumbai.

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The Duke of York travelled to
Afghanistan with Defence Secretary Philip Hammond to attend a service
with the remaining British forces at Camp Bastion. After 12 years and
the loss of 446 British lives, there can have been few more poignant
Remembrance Sunday ceremonies than this.

Back in London, Prince Harry, in
Household Cavalry uniform, had been deputed to represent his absent
father. So, when it came to the laying of wreaths, he took precedence
over his elder brother, the Duke of Cambridge.

The Duchess – her hair artfully
sculpted into fetching curls, days after some suggested the new mother
was looking tired and ‘frayed at the edges’ – watched from a Foreign
Office balcony, flanked by the Countess of Wessex and Vice Admiral Sir
Tim Laurence.

After the Prime Minister and other
political leaders had laid their wreaths, the Bishop of London, the
Right Reverend Richard Chartres, conducted the short, time-honoured
service.

No one in history has attended this ritual more times than the Queen.

She recited all five verses of O God Our Help In Ages Past without even opening an order of service.

Once the VIPs had moved back indoors,
Whitehall was clear for the great Royal British Legion parade involving
more than 10,000 representatives of 250 organisations.

This year, the honour of leading the
march fell to a long-suffering contingent who are often overlooked at
major anniversaries – the War Widows Association.

This remembrance weekend has certainly served to remind the public of the pain and sacrifice endured at home.

Has there been anything more moving on
television this year than Saturday night’s Festival of Remembrance?
After a film about the loss of her boy – her ‘man of valour’ – Kerry
Ashworth, the mother of Lance Corporal James Ashworth VC, then marched
on in front of the Queen and millions of BBC1 viewers. Get the tissues
ready before you call it up on iPlayer.

In attendance: A British Royal Marine stands guard beside the Cenotaph (left) as Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha (right) leave No 10 Downing Street

Wide view: Servicemen and dignitaries pay their respects as Queen Elizabeth II stands to honour the dead at a ceremony marking Remembrance Sunday

Young and old: A girl wearing a poppy in her hair carries a wreath as she attends the annual Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph

'The ultimate sacrifice': Prince Edward's message to the fallen on the wreath he placed at the Cenotaph on Whitehall in Central London

Royal appearance: The Queen and Prince Harry attend the annual Remembrance Sunday ceremony at the Cenotaph

Yesterday, another grieving mother was
on parade. Sue Clack was marching with the Rifles Regimental
Association in honour of her son, Lieutenant Daniel Clack, killed while
leading a patrol in Helmand at the age of 24.

Here, too, were many young men and women determined to rebuild their lives in the face of catastrophic injury.

The crowds – 15 deep in places – upped
the applause even more as a badly-burned ex-soldier came marching past
uncomfortably on prosthetic legs. This is an event which involves two
hours of standing and half an hour of marching. His was no small
undertaking.

Another new entry for this year’s
parade was the charity Walking With The Wounded. Later this week, it
will take teams of badly injured British, Australian, Canadian and
American servicemen and women to the Antarctic for an extraordinary race
to the South Pole. The British team will be led by the charity’s
patron, Prince Harry.

Looking down: Members of the Armed Forces and the public gather at the Cenotaph memorial in Whitehall, Central London, during the Remembrance Sunday service

Thinking back: A millitary veteran pays his respects during ceremonies marking Remembrance Sunday at the Cenotaph in Central London

Together: The Duchess of Cambridge (right) smiles as she stands with the Countess of Wessex, on a balcony overlooking Whitehall's Cenotaph in Central London

Carefully placed: Prime Minister David Cameron
(left) lays a wreath during the Remembrance Sunday ceremonies, and
Prince Harry (right) is also pictured

Paying their respects: The Duchess of Cambridge (centre), Sophie, Countess of Wessex (left) and Timothy Laurence (right) attend the commemorations

Bowler hats: Armed forces members paid tribute to service personnel who have died in the World Wars and subsequent conflicts, as part of the annual remembrance ceremonies

Medals galore: Gurkhas pass the Cenotaph during the annual Remembrance Sunday ceremony in Central London

The whole lot were invited to march
past the Cenotaph yesterday. And when news of this reached Downing
Street, David Cameron invited them in beforehand for coffee. ‘It’s been a
pretty special day,’ said the charity’s co-founder, Ed Parker, last
night. ‘But the thing which really struck us was the reaction from the
public. It was humbling.’

Equally humbled were Trevor Miners, 86, from Cornwall, and Dillwyn Thomas, 88, from Bridgend, South Wales.

Both had been teenage members of the Home Guard when they were recruited for training at a mysterious location.

It turned out to be a course in
explosives and special weapons at Coleshill House, Wiltshire, where some
3,500 men – mainly farmers and poachers – joined a clandestine
organisation with a deceptively boring name: the Auxiliary Units.

In the event of a German invasion,
their task was to disappear below ground, wait and then sabotage enemy
fuel supplies, transport and communications.

Mr Thomas recalls that his orders were
to ‘blow Port Talbot to smithereens’. Life expectancy would have been
brief. In the meantime, they were all ordered to say nothing, prepare
their bunkers and act normal until any invasion.

Many endured taunts; some were given
white feathers. Once it was clear that the Auxiliaries would not be
required, the Government merely disbanded these civilian units,
reclaimed the explosives and nothing more was said.

In later life, Mr Miners would work
with the same foreman for 12 years without either knowing that the other
had also been in the Auxiliaries.

There was no veterans’ network until a
few years ago when a band of online enthusiasts established the
Coleshill Auxiliary Research Team.

It then took a three-year campaign before the veterans could march yesterday.

‘I don’t mind saying I had tears in my
eye,’ said Mr Miners last night. ‘It was very unusual and rather
overwhelming to be acknowledged at last.’

Respecting the fallen: The Duchess of Cambridge (right) stands with the Countess of Wessex, who is holding a poppy-themed bag

Driven away: The Duchess of Cambridge (centre) smiles as she leaves Westminster with Prince William (left) after attending the service for Remembrance Sunday